Fence



G. G. SHELDON.

FENCE. No. 255,342. Patented Mar. 21,1882;

1 119-3 I Fig/ 3 UNITED STATES PATENT OF ICE.

CLARENCE O. SHELDON, OF URBANA, ILLINOIS.

FENCE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 255,342, dated March 21, 18 82.

Application filed November 14, 1881.

T all whom it may concern: Be it known that I, CLARENCE G. SHELDON,

' a citizen of'the United States, residing at Urbana, in the county of Champaign and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Fences, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in fences having earthen or tile posts; and it consists in the construction and arrangement of devices for attaching barbed wires thereto, as hereinafter more fully described, and as shown in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is an elevation showing a tile post as used with barbed wire; Fig. 2, a sectional elevation, showing the post used with boards and the manner of joining the same in the center of the post. Fig. 3 is aside elevation of the same. Fig 4 is a partial perspective view of the post enlarged; Fig. 5, a partial perspective view, showing the manner of placing the wireholder or fastener in position. Figs. 6 and 7 are horizontal sectional views of the line and the corner posts, and Fig. 8 views of the wire holder or fastener detached and enlarged.

Similar parts are referred to by similar letters of reference throughout the several views.

In the drawings, A represents the post, which is round and made and burned of clay in a single piece of a uniform size and hollow throughout itslengtln- Each post is supplied with a number of openings or slots, (6 a, in line with each other and at opposite sides of the post. Through these openings at a are slipped the boards B B, as shown in Fig. 2, each board being of a proper length so that the ends will meet in the center ofa post, as shown, the joints being alternated, as in the ordinary manner of fence-building. Opposite each opening a a, and at right angles thereto,

are two small holes, I) b. a

If it is desired to use the barbed wire, the wire holder or fastener c, which is bent, as shown in Fig. 8, to facilitate its entering, is is slipped through the holes b b, in the manner shown in Fig. 5, by inserting the hand in the opening a. The wireD is then placed between the projecting prongs of the fastener 0, (see Fig. 5,) and the ends of said fastener twisted post are many.

(No model.)

firmly together around said wire, as shown in Fig. 1.

It will be seen that by this construction I am able to use either boards or wire with my post, or both, for, if desired, partof the fence may be made of wire and part of boards-as, for instance, the upper part may be made of wire for cattle, with a board or boards at the bottom for hogs, 86c.

For use at the corners and where it is desired to run one fence at right angles to another, I have provided a corner post with the openings a a and the holes I) b at right angles, as shown in Fig. 7. The portion of the post below the ground-line w x, or, if desired, the whole post, is glazed to prevent the absorption of moisture by capillary attraction; but, if desired for any reason, the glazing may be dispensed with.

The advantages secured by the use of this Being a perfect cylinder, it is very strong, and, as it cannot rot or decay, it is very durable. Being hollow, it is not so liable to be lifted by frost, and as it will not burn, when the wire is used a perfectly fireproof fence is obtained, which cannot be set atire by sparksvfrom railway-locomotives or burned by prairie-fires. When this post is used no nails are required in the construction of a board fence, which isquite an item of saving inthe expense.

I am aware that fence-posts made of clay and burned have heretofore been used; and also that barbed wires have been attached to metal posts by means of afastening-wire' passed horizontally through said post. I do not therefore claim such broadly; but

What I do claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- The combination, in a fence, of the hollow cylindrical tile posts A, having slots a and openings 1), boards B, supported in'the slots a, wires D, and'angular fastenings c, the arms of said fastenings being passed through the openings b on different planes and their free ends twisted around the barbed wires, as and for the purpose specified.

CLARENCE O. SHELDON.

Witnesses:

PAUL A. SLATER, FRANK J oHNsoN, 

